Alex describes a typical road trip in his family's car as being a war between his older sister's Taylor Swift playlist and his Foo Fighters albums. Alex has been a fan of punk rock from an early age because it's "got good energy, and it's easy to listen to. It's not too death metal, and it's not too boring like the blues".
After his mom and dad suggested learning an instrument, Alex took up guitar. He relocated from Australia to MIS in 3rd-grade, and took private guitar lessons through MIS's Student Life Programme. He returned last year to Australia for 7th grade but now he and his family are back. As an 8th-grader at MIS, Alex still has guitar lessons on Wednesdays and has taken advantage of a new programme called Rockstar Dream Camp which is held for 2 hours each Sunday in Starnberg. The programme is led and organized by a Munich-based indie-rock group called Deer Park Avenue. DPA is led by sisters Sarah and Steph. Much like the majority of MIS students, the duo grew up “between two continents”. According to their band’s website bio, Sarah and Steph “absorb culture, sound, and constant movement, collecting stories of friendship, love, second chances, and change. Their fresh brand of melodic indie rock is packed with addictive hooks, grit, power, and pop sensibilities while rocking a retro-fresh vibe”.
The sisters offer workshops and performance opportunities for students (aged 8+). Students learn to play rock classics in fun, friendly workshop sessions and get to perform live onstage alongside these rockstar sisters.
Alex seems to have found a perfect fit for his own musical sensibilities. With Alex on electric guitar, the student band's first performance in October was to open for a Deer Park Avenue concert. They played "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, "Zombies" by The Cranberries, and "7 Nation Army" by The White Stripes.
Thankfully, Alex doesn't seem to suffer from stage fright and nonchalantly explains that he "thought it would be more nerve-wracking, but playing in concert was pretty similar to just practicing guitar in front of nobody." If you are interested in learning more about the Rock Band programme, email Deer Park Avenue at band@deerparkave.com
While Alex doesn't see himself as being a professional musician in the future, he does recommend it as a great hobby. Being in the band has fostered a smoother transition back to MIS from Australia. He's formed a larger friend group and has some major performances to look forward to.
Their next concert is on December 8th at Schloss Theatre in Starnberg at 16.00. They will be performing punk versions of classic Christmas songs. There is one major problem which is unacceptable for any band performing in concert: The band has no name. Help the punk rock band brainstorm an epic name by writing in your suggestion in the form below: